‘So You Think You Can Dance’ Goes Bollywood

In the last several years, Bollywood has become more popular throughout the world and especially in the United States. With Hindi films being shot on location, stars crossing between the two industries, film studios crossing over and working together, plus the recent music collaborations, Bollywood aka the Hindi film industry is no longer relatively unknown.

Bollywood is also showing up on the small screen in the US. Besides the highly anticipated August release of the Disney Channel’s film set in Bollywood Cheetah Girls: One World , Bollywood was finally seen on the popular dance competition, So You Think You Can Dance, which airs on the Fox network. Each week, couples have to pick styles of dance out of a hat and then after a short period of rehearsals have to perform the dance numbers live. Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe, had been wanting Bollywood as part of the line-up since the first season and on Wednesday night, much to the delight of fans, Bollywood came to So You Think You Can Dance. Two of the contestants, Joshua and Katee performed to ‘Dhoom Taana’ from Om Shanti Om. Nakaul Dev Mahajan choreographed the challenging piece. Neither dancer had ever been exposed to Bollywood and both did brilliantly performing the choreography. The judges were all compliments of not only the dancers but of Indian dance as well. With the raves of Fantastic, Fabulous and Flawless, it was a definite hit of the night!